“Unfortunately we have come to the conclusion that no matter how many hours our technicians work and how many spare parts we order, the NH90 will never be able to meet the requirements of the Norwegian Armed Forces,” Bjørn Arild Gram said. “Serious decision”. The helicopter was developed in the mid-1990s by NHIndustries, a partnership between three European companies based in Aix-en-Provence, France. Used by many countries. Norway ordered 14 helicopters for coast guard and anti-submarine warfare duties in 2001, the Armed Forces said. They were originally scheduled for delivery by the end of 2008. To date, only eight have been delivered in fully operational configuration. “The fleet is currently required to provide 3,900 flight hours per year, but in recent years it has averaged only about 700 hours,” the Armed Forces said. In February, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense called for a comprehensive review of the country’s naval helicopter capabilities. The review concluded that even with significant additional financial investment, it would not be possible to bring the performance and availability of the NH90 to a level that would meet Norwegian requirements. The Norwegian Defense Service informed the manufacturer of the NH90 that it had terminated the contract in its entirety and that it would seek a full refund of all funds and assets received from both parties. Norway will return the helicopters along with any spare parts and equipment received. NHIndustries said in a statement that “it is extremely disappointed with the decision taken by the Norwegian Ministry of Defense and denies the allegations against NH90 as well as against the company”. She added that she had not been given the opportunity to discuss her latest proposals and that she considered the Norwegian termination of the contract “legally unfounded”. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense has stated that it will soon begin the process of locating an alternative naval helicopter.